A Gratitude Letter- What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?

To Who It May Concern,

I traveled with People to People twice.  Once as a fifth grader in 2005, then as a sixth grader in 2006.  I was just a doe-eyed twelve year old looking for something to feed her adventurous spirit.

I remember snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef and climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I recall memories of standing in line in London when the last Harry Potter book came out, and trying authentic vegemite at an Australian ranch.  I played Cricket, took the 30-minute London Eye ride, and boarded numerous planes.  In those two trips- four weeks combined- I learned more about myself and the world than I believe some people ever learn in their lives.

Eight years later, here I am.  Almost twenty years old and I just got done traveling with a college friend of mine through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, and Southern California.  In all, I have been to ten different countries including Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Austria.  With all that said, it makes me wonder- who would I be if not for People to People?  Would I so easily push myself out of my comfort zone?  Would I be afraid of the world only knowing small-town South Dakota life?  I don’t know.  What I do know is that going on those trips with People to People was life-altering even if I didn’t realize it back then.

I guess the purpose of this letter was to thank you for allowing me to have had those opportunities.  I am not sure where I am going from here.  Maybe I will be a writer for a travel magazine in four years.  Maybe I’ll own my own.  Or maybe I’ll break into the advertising industry and take the world by storm there.  People to People brought me courage.  So wherever I’m going, I promise you, it will be anything but ordinary.

What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

Sincerely,

Me